WHEN CONGRESS was run by Democrats and the White House by a
Republican, congressional Democrats frequently called for the
restoration of America's cities before money was spent on other
programs.

When Republicans became a congressional majority and tried to
create tax incentives for individuals and businesses in order to
rebuild decaying neighborhoods, they were blocked by liberal
Democrats, who feared that success in this area would end the
cult of dependency that is their political bread and butter.

President Clinton played Santa Claus on his great African
adventure, promising to dispense taxpayers' money on such
programs as a ``Radio Free Africa'' and helping kids access the
Internet. But how can so many black politicians and Jesse
Jackson, who accompanied the president, talk about reviving
Africa until they have done something to help revive America?

In recent months I've been spending time in Anacostia, a part of
Washington that, if you believe what you see on television, is
populated solely by drug dealers, killers and other antisocial low
lifes. While Anacostia has its share of such people, crime is
mostly confined to certain neighborhoods and street corners. The
rest of this part of southeast Washington is made up of people
who live decent lives. Some are employed; others are retired or
on some form of public assistance. Although parts of Anacostia
are nice, much of it could be called ``blighted.''

It was to encourage the isolation and ultimate eviction of the
criminal class that Republicans in the last Congress tried to push
through a bill that would give tax breaks to businesses and
individuals who moved into certain areas of Washington and
rebuilt them. Some proposals offered businesses and individuals
a tax-free existence, believing they would repair dilapidated
houses and improve neighborhoods. The short-term loss of tax
revenue, it was believed, would more than be made up for in
long-term social improvement. Eventually the tax revenues would
come from these areas where the government currently takes in
little or no money but spends huge sums in its largely unsuccessful
attempt to reduce crime.

Republicans believed that making Washington an example of
renewal would encourage other decaying cities. That's what
liberal Democrats feared -- and so the proposals never made it
into law.

Few white people or middle- and upper-class blacks visit
Anacostia, fearing that they will be mugged or their cars stolen. I
had the same feeling until I drove there for the first time in 30
years to meet someone. He wanted to take me to lunch in a
``good'' part of town. I told him I preferred to eat ``in the 'hood.''
He took me to a restaurant where the cook, some employees and
customers came over to the table to greet me and to thank me for
coming. I was shocked -- this was not an attitude I had seen
portrayed on television.

On subsequent visits to Anacostia, I have met some wonderful
people who care about the same things everyone cares about.
However, they are often limited by the lack of economic
opportunity caused not only by family break-ups but a business
climate that appears to be comatose.

Republicans should take up the challenge Democrats used to hurl
at them. Let's fix American cities before we start throwing money
at Africa. Let Republicans write not only a new Contract With
America but an Economic Emancipation Proclamation for Black
America. It was a Republican president who freed the slaves. Let
this Republican Congress free all poor people, black and white,
from economic dependency on government programs and spark a
financial recovery in our cities by giving tax breaks to those who
will return to blighted neighborhoods and stay for at least a
decade.

What so many liberal Democrats, including the Black Caucus,
fear is that true emancipation will mean that poor blacks won't
need them to shore up going-nowhere lives any more. Let's see
President Clinton outmaneuver the GOP on thisone!